Chapter 758: Return! Ling Shuang

Xu Jingming left Xuchuan City at 4:30 p. m.

By the time he returned to the Lei Ting Martial Arts Academy's Dayangzhou Maben branch, it was nearly 1 a. m.

Not sensing Ling Shuang's aura in the villa, Xu Jingming went directly to the Lei Ting Martial Arts Academy building.

"Vice Director, good evening!"

"Director Xu."

"Good evening, Director Xu."

"......"

Although it was past one in the morning, the entire Lei Ting Martial Arts Academy compound remained brightly lit.

As Xu Jingming walked down the corridor, members of Lei Ting Martial Arts Academy respectfully bowed to him along the way.

For high-level psychics, daytime and nighttime aura levels were nearly identical, impossible to distinguish.

Xu Jingming soon arrived at the director's office door, before he could push it open.

Ling Shuang's melodious, delighted voice came from inside:

"Jingming, you're back?"

Xu Jingming pushed the door open and saw Ling Shuang seated behind her desk, working.

She wore a black long dress, elegant and alluring like a goddess of night.

Seeing Xu Jingming return, she immediately rose and stepped forward, her curves swaying with the motion.

"How was it? Did you have a smooth time at the Sakura Nation's ancient civilization relic?"

Xu Jingming and Ling Shuang sat on the sofa; Xu Jingming naturally wrapped his right arm around her slender waist.

Ling Shuang was already used to this, smiling as she asked.

"There were some unexpected incidents, but overall, it was a close call with no serious harm."

Xu Jingming gave a general account of what happened in the ancient civilization relic.

"The ninth-rank peak spiritual master Zhaokeli's spirit from the ancient civilization relic?"

"The spiritual master's combat technique legacy?"

After hearing Xu Jingming out, Ling Shuang's rosy lips parted slightly, her eyes wide with disbelief.

No way,

how did you stumble upon a relic of this caliber from a small ancient civilization?

And more importantly, you're an electricity-type psychic—how did you end up obtaining a spiritual-type combat technique legacy?

What kind of move is this?

"Don't tell me you're not actually an electricity-type psychic, but a spiritual-type one?"

Ling Shuang stared up and down at Xu Jingming, incredulous.

"Impossible—I'm still an electricity-type psychic.

It's just that, perhaps because I've trained the SSS-rank 'Lei Hai Contemplation Method,' my spiritual force is a bit stronger."

Xu Jingming explained with a smile.

He naturally could not reveal he had used a system cheat.

"But that's not the main point—the main point is the flaw in the Spirit Seal."

Xu Jingming's expression turned solemn, "The Spirit Seal left by Liu Yushan contains a backdoor for spiritual manipulation.

I suspect he targeted me deliberately, intending to bring me under his control."

"Liu Yushan?"

Ling Shuang's gaze turned cold; she snorted.

"I thought he was being kind when he left you that Spirit Seal—never imagined he planted such a hazard!

Luckily I was right beside you then, or I wouldn't have known what tricks he might have pulled."

At this moment, Ling Shuang felt immense relief.

If Liu Yushan had already performed spiritual manipulation on Xu Jingming back then, the consequences would have been unthinkable!

"I think this matter should be reported to our Great Xia high command—they should investigate and handle it."

Xu Jingming mused.

"Alright, I'll contact Grandpa Cao Jun immediately."

Without hesitation, Ling Shuang sent a message via her communication watch to Cao Jun, founder of the Black Dragon Legion and ninth-rank peak Wu Saint.

"Grandpa Cao Jun? Sister Shuang, you seem quite close to Elder Cao."

Xu Jingming was curious.

"It's not anything special—before your Su teacher's father went missing,

he often took the two of us to visit Grandpa Cao; over time, we grew familiar."

Ling Shuang explained.

"I see." Xu Jingming suddenly understood.

People really couldn't be compared—someone like Ling Shuang, with such connections, even her acquaintances were terrifying ninth-rank peaks.

"Ding dong~~~"

The message alert chimed; Ling Shuang exclaimed happily, "Grandpa Cao wants us to meet him in the virtual world."

"Alright."

Xu Jingming nodded, and together with Ling Shuang, they put on their neural helmets one after the other.

After entering the virtual world, both received a teleportation invitation from ninth-rank councilor Cao Jun.

They clicked confirm; their consciousness blurred, and when they regained awareness, they were in another space.

Whoosh—

This place lay deep in the mountains, where a surging waterfall plunged from the peak — a sheer drop of three thousand feet.

Surrounding it were dense trees and bamboo groves, unlike the trees and shrubs in reality, which had grown far taller.

These trees were only ordinary in size, a lush, verdant sight.

The calls of small birds and insects rose from the thickets and shrubs, the surroundings utterly peaceful and tranquil.

Encircled by trees and bamboo stood a small pavilion, and within the pavilion sat a white-haired old man.

He was, apart from the Chief Councilor my lord, one of the strongest in Great Xia.

Cao Jun — wielder of the S-rank Enhancement-type Divine Beast ability, "Heavenly Azure Dragon"!

"Hearing Ling girl and Xu Jingming are here, sit." Cao Jun greeted them with a chuckle.

"Grandpa Cao."

Hearing Ling Shuang called out crisply, and Xu Jingming also bowed respectfully:

"Senior Cao, we meet again."

He had met Cao Jun once before, during the Genius Tournament.

"Don't be so formal. From now on, just call me Grandpa Cao, like Ling girl does."

Cao Jun said very kindly.

"Hello, Grandpa Cao." Xu Jingming smiled.

Cao Jun was an elder who had survived from two hundred years ago, before the resurgence of primal energy, and lived to this day.

Even adding both his past and present lives together, he couldn't match a fraction of the other's age — calling him grandpa was hardly excessive.

"Back then, Ling girl, when you rejected the Li family, I was a bit regretful. But who would have thought that in the blink of an eye you'd give me such wonderful news!

Tell me, when are you planning to get married? When the time comes, I'll definitely prepare a grand gift for you!

Once you're married, have children early. When your children grow up and awaken, their abilities will surely shock all of Great Xia!"

After Xu Jingming and Hearing Ling Shuang sat down in the pavilion, Cao Jun began chattering away just like any ordinary elder.

"Grandpa Cao! We haven't thought that far ahead yet!"

Hearing Ling Shuang's face flushed bright red, her charming features full of shyness.

Xu Jingming beside her was also a little helpless.

He could tell — this Senior Cao Jun was just like Eva, fond of urging people to have children.

But then again, as a member of the Great Xia Council, he naturally hoped Great Xia would flourish more and more.

"Fair enough, you're both still young. Right now, raising your strength is what matters, so I won't press you."

Cao Jun laughed heartily, then got down to business:

"Frost girl, in the message you sent you said you had something important to tell me. What is it?"